The Watchtower, May 15, 1953
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WATCHTOWER
MAY 15,1953 Semimonthly
PREDESTINATION OR INDIVIDUAL CHOICE—WHICH?
TRUE WORSHIP IN NYASALAND AND SOUTHERN RHODESIA
WATCH OUT FOR THE PHARISEES!
DEATH—AN ENLARGED CONTINUATION OF LIFE?
YOUTH NO BAR TO THE MINISTRY
© WTB&TS
Announcing JEHOVAH'S KINGDOM
"YOU ARE MY WITNESSES," SAYS JEHOVAH.—Isa. 43:12 THE PURPOSE OF "THE WATCHTOWER"
Literal towers in Bible times were elevated vantage points from which watchmen could observe happenings, warn of danger, or announce good news. Our magazine figuratively occupies such a vantage point, for it is founded on the very pinnacle of wisdom, God's Word. That elevates it above racial, national and political propagandas and prejudices, frees it from selfish bias. It is not bound by any traditional creed, but its message advances as the light on God's purposes and works increases.-Habakkuk 2:1-3.
It sees things Scripturally. When it observes this generation afflicted with greed, delinquency, hypocrisy, atheism, war, famine, pestilence, perplexity and fear, and persecution of unpopular minorities, it does not parrot the old fable about history repeating itself. Informed by Bible prophecy, it sees in these things the sign of the world's time of the end. But with bright hope it also sees opening up for us just beyond these woes the portals of a new world.
Thus viewed, "The Watchtower" stands as a watchman atop a tower, alert to what is going on, awake to note signs of danger, faithful to point out the way of escape. It announces Jehovah's kingdom established by Christ's enthronement in heaven, feeds his kingdom joint-heirs with spiritual food, cheers men of good will with glorious prospects of eternal life in a paradise earth, comforts us with the resurrection promise for the dead.
It is not dogmatic, but has a confident ring in its voice, because it is based on God's Word. It does not privately interpret prophecy, but calls attention to physical facts, sets them alongside prophecy, and you see for yourself how well the two match, how accurately Jehovah interprets his own prophecy. In the interests of our salvation, it keeps sharp and faithful focus on Bible truth, and views religious news generally.
'Be watchful in these perilous times,' God admonishes. So keep on the watch by regularly reading "The Watchtower".
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PUBLISHED BY THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY
117 Adams Street Brooklyn 1, N. Y., U. S. A.
N. H. KNORR, President GRANT SUITER, Secretary
"They will all be taught by Jehovah."—John 6:45, NW; Isaiah 54:13
<tr><th>CONTENTS
Youth No Bar to the Ministry
Watch Out for the Pharisees!
The Sure Guide
True Worship in Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia
What Has Happened to Religion?
Predestination or Individual Choice—Which?
Missionaries and “Missionaries”
“The Truth Will Set You Free”
Death—An Enlarged Continuation of Life?
Questions from Readers
Announcements
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YOUTH NO BAR TO THE MINISTRY
MINISTER is one who serves. Jesus made this point clear in his lesson on humility occasioned by the request of the wife of Zebedee that her two sons, James and John, be granted the chief seats with Christ Jesus in his kingdom. "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many." Matt. 20:20-28, NW.
A minister of God, therefore, is one who serves God. How old must one be to be one of God's ministers? Many an official has looked askance when a minister, appearing before him, stated that he had dedicated himself to his Creator when but a lad and that he had been a minister ever since his dedication. Can a child be a minister of God or does his youth automatically bar him from being one? What do the Scriptures and the facts show?
First of all let us note that Samuel began to serve at the temple right after being weaned. And when God had a message for Israel of impending disaster, he did not send his angel to aged Eli, nor to his matured though dissolute sons, but to the young boy Samuel.—1 Sam. 2:12 to 3:19.
And what about Jeremiah? When Jehovah said to him: "I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations," he replied:
"Ah, Lord Jehovah! behold, I know not how to speak; for I am a child." Did Jehovah accept Jeremiah's excuse? He did not, but answered him: "Say not, I am a child; for to whomsoever I shall send thee thou shalt go, and whatsoever I shall command thee thou shalt speak."—Jer. 1:5-7, AS.
Yes, the Hebrew Scriptures give many examples of youthful ministers of Jehovah God. There were also David, Joseph, Josiah, Daniel and his companions. And so also the Christian Greek Scriptures, wherein the first and chief example that comes to us is, of course, Christ Jesus. At the age of but twelve he was found "in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them. But all those listening to him were in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers". (Luke 2:46, 47, NW) And should it be argued that he was an exception, being the Son of God, then we ask, What about Timothy? He must have been very young when he started out on his preaching career, for some ten years later Paul still found it necessary to counsel him: "Let no man ever look down on your youth."—Acts 16:1-3; 1 Tim. 4:12, NW.
Not only do the ministers of Jehovah thus have good Scriptural precedent for their ministerial activity while still youths, but their critics are estopped from caviling by the record of history on the subject. For instance, John Calvin was recognized as a chaplain at the age of twelve.
Pope Paul III elevated his grandson (yes, that is right, his grandson) Alessandro Farnese to the cardinalate at the age of fourteen. Pope Leo X was made an abbot when but eight years old and became a cardinal at the age of thirteen. Pope Sixtus V (1585- 1590) appointed his grandnephew Alessandro a cardinal at the age of fourteen.
Also in modern times we repeatedly read of youthful ministers serving in the pulpits. Perhaps the most sensational instance was that of a four-year-old son of a California clergyman who preached in 1948,1949.In fact, due to this child-minister's performing a marriage ceremony a bill was introduced in the Missouri legislature prohibiting ministers under seventeen to perform marriages.The bill, however, was defeated, on the ground that it violated religious freedom.
What does it take to be a minister of Jehovah God in these days? Dedication to Jehovah, a knowledge of his Word, a desire and ability to tell it to others, and faithfulness in spite of opposition. That one does not have to be an adult to have these qualifications is apparent from the following report received from a traveling representative of the Watch Tower Society serving in the Gold Coast:
"On my arrival at the small coastal town of Senya Beraku I met a young brother about thirteen years of age, whose one eye was bloodstained. When questioned as to the cause he told his experience. He first came in touch with the truth two years ago by following an older schoolmate to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's witnesses. After some time this schoolmate lost interest, but not he. Soon he was joining the brothers in the house-to-house preaching. His mother being dead and his father away, working on the Ivory Coast, he was staying with a grandmother and aunt who
repeatedly beat him to discourage his activity, but in vain. Twice he was prevented from attending an assembly of Jehovah's witnesses where he hoped to get baptized, but only by their hiding his clothes. On the day I saw him he had been getting ready to join us in the group preaching activity when his aunt got hold of him and had some boys stretch him out and beat him. After the beating he asked them if that was all they could do and then left to meet us for witnessing. That beating accounted for his bloodstained eye.
"People mock at his going from house to house, calling him asempfo, which means 'bearer of good news'. He calmly tells them that he appreciates the name, for that is what he really is, and then asks them why do they not also want to become asempfos, bearers of good news, themselves?
"They tell him that he ought to be in school instead of thus preaching, to which he replies by pointing to the urgency of the message. The fact is that in spite of his ministerial activities he is at the head of his class in school. His answers are so tactful and intelligent that some express resentment and others amazement that such replies should come from such a little boy as he is. When he goes from door to door his brief case containing Bible literature practically drags on the ground, he being so small.
"Early Sunday morning we immersed him and you can imagine his joy that at last he had been able to symbolize and give public declaration of his dedication to Jehovah."
How many professed Christian ministers, mature in years, show such understanding, zeal and integrity? Truly, not age but fruits determine whether or not one is a minister of God. Age is no bar to the ministry.
Watch Out for the PHARISEES!
THEN Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: 'The
that took place between them and Jesus when he was on earth. The name Pharisee,
scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. Therefore all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform.' "Matt. 23:1-3, NW.
These words of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Prophet of whom Moses spoke clearly identify the Pharisees as men who had taken authority to themselves. They had seated themselves in Moses' seat. Jehovah God gave the Law to Moses as a guide and rule for the Israelite people. For the Pharisees to have seated themselves in
which means sepa-
rated, sounds the keynote for this body of religious men. Sometime during the second century B.C. this group came into existence as the champions of Jewish exclusiveness They are connected by many historians with the Hasidim, who were described as being "mighty men of Israel, even all such as were voluntarily devoted to the law". It was during the early part of the same century that Antiochus Epiphanes, a Seleucid prince of Syria having control over Palestine, proscribed Judaism, and in its place tried to force the popular Greek customs
the seat of Moses would mean they professed to be teachers of the Law of God, the written Law as given to Moses contained in the Hebrew Scriptures. It would mean they should have turned the Israelite people to Jehovah their God.
If the Pharisees and the people held to the Law from God, surely such a people would be blessed and be in line with Jehovah's will and purpose. But was that the case? The facts and the Bible account show that the nation of Israel was not blessed by God under the Pharisees and their teaching Jesus' own words tell us
and ways upon the Jews. In fact, he prohibited the Jews, under penalty of death, from observing any and all of the religious observances ordained in the Law of Moses, even to the keeping of their sabbath. While some Jews bowed to this edict and turned to Hellenistic ways, others revolted. To this revolt, called the Maccabean wars, the strict observers of the Law joined themselves. Many of the zealous Jews died rather than break the sabbath law. Their adherence to the Law corresponded to that of the scribes of Israel who had been and were the men of influence in decisions
that the people could not trust these professed teachers of the Law. Why not? Who were these Pharisees? How were they able to 'seat themselves in the seat of Moses'? Why did Jesus warn the people and his disciples against following them?
A brief history of these men is in order to give us the proper setting for the action
on matters of law and on the many traditions they enjoined upon the Jewish people.
It was not until the time of the Jewish Maccabean prince John Hyrcanus, toward the last of the second century B. C., that the Pharisees came to be known by that name. The Pharisees did not agree with
the Hellenizing influence that had affected so many of the Jews.
They were determined that they, at least, would in no way become contaminated with Greek culture, literature and commerce. They separated themselves completely from all such influences. They became very exclusive. They took on a "better than thou" attitude, became formal and overly self-righteous. They gave minute interpretations and twists to the law. They exaggerated expectations of fulfillment of prophecy and gave literal and strictest attention to trivial acts of worship and external rites and ceremonies beyond the requirements of the law, placing the traditions of the older men of influence on an equal footing with the written inspired Scriptures. Instead of keeping with the times and speaking the international tongue of that time, Greek, they held to the Aramaic language, which the Jews had learned in Babylonish captivity many years previous.
ENSNARING TRADITION
This separateness did not make the Pharisees very popular with many of the Jews, and after the death of Hyrcanus his son Alexander Jannaeus openly persecuted them as a sect and even went so far as to put many of them to the sword. It was during his reign as a Maccabean high priest of the Jews that the people were torn by much internal strife between the two parties, the Pharisees and the opposing Sadducees. But the tide turned favorably for the Pharisees when, in 78 B.C., Alexandra, wife and successor of Alexander Jannaeus, brought the Pharisees into favor. She astutely recognized that physical force was powerless against zealous religious conviction, and so gave official recognition to them. This put the Pharisees in position to consolidate their power, and they played a major and influential part in the religious life of the people of Israel from that time forward.
The small measure of independence had by the Jews under the Maccabeans was short-lived, however. In the year 63 B.C. the Roman legions were knocking at the gates of Jerusalem, taking the city over as its conquerors. Thenceforth until the time of Jesus' appearance on the scene the Jews simmered under their loss of political liberty. Their national pride had been hurt again. They were prone to turn from the reality of the day and dwell on the glories of the past, back to their history as a once powerful nation. They developed more and more an inward self-exaltation and spiritual pride that made them look down upon anything not Jewish or not in line with their traditional law. The Pharisees, particularly, continued to entwine the people in the morass of oral law and tradition they had evolved. Through all this the Romans who ruled them, using local governors or kings, were not interested or anxious to meddle with the Jew's religion. They did not understand the Jew and only tried to maintain the Pax Romana or Roman peace the best they could.
These Pharisees were the ones, then, that had seated themselves in Moses' seat. They knew the law. They were men of influence, some of their number being found in the High Court of the Jews, the Sanhedrin. (Acts 23:6,NW) Many of the learned men of the time were in their ranks and were held in high esteem by the people: "But a certain man rose in the Sanhedrin, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a Law teacher esteemed by all the people." (Acts 5:34, NW) Being in such a prominent position as the Pharisees were, and having the confidence of the people as they had, they were in an excellent position to teach the people the Word of Jehovah. But rather than doing so, they strayed far from the truth; so far, indeed, that when Jehovah God's time came to send his messenger, John the Baptist, to prepare the way for the Greater than Moses, Christ Jesus, they rejected Jehovah's warning and counsel.
"But the Pharisees and those versed in the law disregarded the counsel of God to them and were not baptized by him [John]." (Luke 7:30, NW) Small wonder, then, that Jesus told his disciples later: "For I say to you that if your righteousness does not abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens."—Matt. 5:20, NW.
Exactly why the Pharisees disregarded God's counsel is aptly illustrated at Mark 7:1-13: "Now the Pharisees and some of the scribes that had come from Jerusalem gathered before him. And when they saw some of his disciples eat their meal with defiled hands, that is, unwashed ones—For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands up to the elbow, observing the tradition of the older men of influence, and, when back from market, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves by sprinkling; and there are many other traditions that they have received to observe: baptisms of cups and pitchers and copper vessels;—so these Pharisees and scribes asked him: 'Why is it your disciples do not conduct themselves according to the tradition of the older men of influence, but they take their meal with defiled hands?' He said to them: 'Isaiah aptly prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written: "This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me. It is in vain that they pay respect to me, because they teach as doctrines commands of men." Letting go the commandment of God you observe the tradition of men.'"
Certainly there is no law in the Law of Moses that stated that a man had to wash his hands before he ate. That was strictly a tradition or commandment of the Pharisees' religion, not a law of Jehovah God. Then, to show how the religious Pharisees had pushed God's law aside for their own doctrine, Jesus went on to say: "Adroitly you set aside the commandment of God in order to retain your tradition. For example, Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Let him that reviles father or mother end up in death.' But you men say, 'If a man says to his father or his mother, "Whatever I have by which you may get help from me is corban, (that is, a gift dedicated to God,)'' you men no longer let him do a single thing for his father or his mother,' and thus you shove the word of God aside for your tradition which you handed down. And many such maxims you do."—NW.
It is evident from the above words of Jesus that the Pharisees were interested in the "gift" that was dedicated to God (that is, to the temple of the Pharisees). The Bible speaks of these men as money lovers; and this, too, brought on occasion for Jesus to tell the Pharisees in no uncertain terms: "Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is under obligation.' Fools and blind ones! Which, in fact, is greater, the gold or the temple that has sanctified the gold?"—Matt. 23:16, 17; Luke 16:14, NW.
In the matter of judgment and faithfulness Jehovah's Word required that those professing to be leaders and teachers should be just and true. The Pharisees were sadly lacking in such things, and Jesus took them to task for it. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin, but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, judgment and mercy and faithfulness." Matt. 23:23, NW. DANGEROUS DOCTRINE
In view of these things disclosed by Jesus and the many other things revealed by him regarding the Pharisees, what result had their course effected upon the people in general? Jesus further answered this: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut up the kingdom of the heavens before mankind; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in." (Matt. 23: 13, NW) Even some of the rulers believed on Jesus and what he had to say, but they were in fear of the Pharisees, who could make or break them socially. "All the same, many even of the rulers actually put faith in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess him in order not to be expelled from the congregation; for they loved the glory of men more than even the glory of God."—John 12:42, 43, NW.
From the evidence given in the Bible concerning the Pharisees one can only deduce that they were dangerous. Dangerous because not only did they prevent themselves from having Jehovah God's favor, but also they were turning thousands upon thousands of people into the way of destruction. The Pharisees said they were teaching the truth. Jesus Christ said that what they were teaching was wrong and
that it was death-dealing. (Matt. 23:27, 28, 33, NW) Hence Jesus warned his apostles and disciples: "Be on the alert and watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." When the disciples failed at first to comprehend just what he meant, the Master clarified it for them. "Then they grasped that he said to watch out, not for the yeast of the loaves, but for the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees." —Matt. 16:6, 12, NW.
To this day there are many men who have taken upon themselves to be professed teachers of God's Word, and yet who teach exactly contrary to the truth. There is only one way to determine those who have God's interests in mind. It is recorded at Isaiah 8:20, AS: "To the law and to the testimony! if they speak not according to this word, surely there is no morning for them." If men today do not teach Jehovah God's promised new world of righteousness as mankind's only hope; if they do not expose this present system of things as of Satan the Devil, its god, nor warn all righteously disposed persons to flee from it to God's organization, then they are not teaching truth and light. Watch out for them and their teaching. Remaining with such blind guides can only lead to death and destruction.—Matt. 15:14, NW.
The Sure Guide
"It is not really enough," said the London Catholic Herald, February 5, "to refute the accusation that Catholics are not allowed to read the Bible with the retort that they are allowed and encouraged to do so. The refutation will only be effective when Catholics do read and love the Bible and show the fact in the habit of their minds, the turn of their language and, above all, in that inner appreciation of doctrine and the spiritual life which grows best when fed on the Bible." There is a challenge! No one will believe Catholics are really encouraged to read the Bible until they do read it. It may not always please them, however, for diligent study will prove that today's religions have added to true doctrine as thoroughly as did the Pharisees of old. Nevertheless, its value is in providing a release from ensnarement, the exposure of blind guides and the sure test for true doctrine.
True Worship in Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia
Continuing the report by the president of the Watch Tower Society, N. H. Knorr, of his trip through Africa
AFTER leaving Johannesburg our next stop was Blantyre, chief commercial city of Nyasaland. Due to many newly paved roads and new buildings the general appearance of Blantyre has improved considerably since our last visit, five years ago. However, the problems of pressing forward with the Kingdom message remain the same. European brothers are needed to help the Africans to gain a clearer understanding of the Scriptures and in their organizational activities, and therefore for some years now the Society has been trying to send in more European brothers. But even though this has not been permitted up to the present time the work has moved ahead well, the number of witnesses swelling from 4,918 to 11,244.
On December 18 the assemblies in Nyasaland began. Brother Henschel served the brothers assembled at Limbe, just outside of Blantyre, while I, accompanied by Brother McLuckie, the branch servant, flew to Lilongwe, where another assembly was being held.
For the assembly at Lilongwe the brothers built a large shelter over a hundred yards long and thirty yards wide, which gave protection from the sun and also somewhat from the rain, it having a gabled roof. There were 2,500 present and they had a very joyful time. Some had come long distances, a few even from the Northern Rhodesian border. They were very orderly and attentive. Jehovah's witnesses in Nyasaland are peaceful and do not cause any disturbances. They do not engage in
While I was giving two talks to the brothers at Lilongwe Brother Henschel was speaking to an audience of about 4,000 at Limbe in a lovely grove of mango trees. At this place only the platform, elevated on bamboo poles some eight feet above the ground, was sheltered. The witnesses gathered in an oval, sitting on the ground. It must be mentioned that the singing at both places was unusually delightful.
politics in any way whatsoever but center their hope in God's kingdom.
After addressing the assembly at Lilongwe I had to hurry back for the public meeting at Limbe, which was due to begin at five o'clock. While my return trip had been delayed some because of a storm, the weather at Limbe had been fine all day and now 5,000 were gathered in an open field to hear the public lecture. Later in the evening I gave the same talk at the Town Hall for the benefit of the Europeans, 35 of whom attended. At both meetings the people evinced keen interest in what was being said about the great need for the people now to consider God's way.
The following day I served the brothers at Limbe while Brother Henschel flew to Lilongwe and there gave the public talk to 3,000. Thus upward of 8,000 heard the public lectures in Nyasaland. During the assembly the brothers were encouraged to press on in the work and those still illiterate were urged to learn to read and write. Although there is illiteracy among the brothers, it is less than for the country as a whole.
While in Nyasaland I had the opportunity to talk to the government officials at Zomba about more European supervision and about allowing some missionaries to enter the country.
What the outcome will be is difficult to say; but, regardless of what the government does, if it is their aim to keep the truth from reaching the people or to slacken the zeal of Jehovah's witnesses, they will fail. In five years the number of witnesses has more than doubled and we can expect a like increase for the next five years.
In order to reach Blantyre in the first place we had to hire a small plane, and we used this same plane to take us back to Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, our next stop. The craft was a two-engine biplane with fabric covering. The pilot, not having been to Nyasaland before, was not familiar with the locations of all the mountains, and so in view of the low clouds decided to follow the winding road. It was like driving a car at one hundred miles an hour, taking all the turns.
The land rose but the clouds did not. Several miles ahead we could see that the clouds met the ground. After skimming the tops of the trees for a while with the clouds brushing against the top of the plane, there was finally nothing left to do but to return to the airport. It was a 30 minute wild ride. By 9:30, an hour later, the wind and sun had caused the clouds to rise and so we started off again. By taking a different route and flying between two layers of clouds we were able to make our way to Southern Rhodesia.
SOUTHERN RHODESIAN ASSEMBLIES
When we arrived at Salisbury the convention was already under way. We were especially delighted to see 163 persons present, all Europeans. When we had our gathering in Salisbury five years before only eight Europeans were present. Until recently it had been quite difficult to interest Europeans in the work of Jehovah's
witnesses. But even in the fine land of Southern Rhodesia there are anxieties that bother those who are of good heart and they are beginning to look for hope. The population consists of 120,000 Europeans and 2,000,000 Africans.
Shortly after I had arrived at this assembly I had to leave to address the African meeting. This required a drive of about five miles to Harari Native Township. We found the brothers seated on the ground in a large open lot and listening to three speakers. One was speaking in Cinyanja, one in Cishona and one in Zulu, one after the other giving the same information. Although I did not understand what they were saying, I could feel that the spirit of Jehovah was manifest among these people.
Upon beginning to address the assembly myself I could see that the old custom of the sisters sitting to the left of the speaker and the brothers in the center and to the right was gradually giving way among Jehovah's witnesses and more and more the wives are sitting with their husbands. It was a beautiful sight, these 7,300 African brothers, who had gathered from all parts of Southern Rhodesia, enjoying their assembly to the full. The skies were clear for all the assembly.
On Sunday 280 African brothers were immersed in a river and 17 European brothers in a pool in Salisbury. While Brother Henschel was addressing the audience of European brothers in the morning I gave the public talk to the Africans and there were 11,000 in attendance. Later in the day when Brother Henschel and I addressed the Africans again there were at least 15,000 gathered together.
On Sunday afternoon the public meeting for the Europeans was held and 250 attended, which was excellent. Everybody was pleased with the results, for nearly half of the African audience and about 100 Europeans had attended the public meetings, due to the very intensive advertising of the lectures.
One thing that impressed the Africans, the police and the Europeans who observed the African assembly of Jehovah's witnesses was that here on the ground Africans, from different tribes from all parts of the land, had come together, and yet there were no quarrelings, no fights, no bloodshed. To many who were not Jehovah's witnesses this seemed almost incredible.
In Southern Rhodesia African Jehovah's witnesses are being recognized by many Europeans as very good people to employ. For example, the boss of an African brother, an engineer on the railway, tried to get rid of the brother, and the matter came to the attention of the station master. The only reason given for wanting him fired was that he was one of Jehovah's witnesses. The station master referred the matter up to the railway superintendent and asked what he should do. The superintendent answered: "We have hundreds of Jehovah's witnesses working here in Bulawayo and they are the best boys. Do not fire that boy." So they kept the brother and put him under the supervision of another boss.
At Shabani the brothers are giving a tremendous witness to the truth. The chief compound manager said: "A year ago I
would not let Watch Tower representatives in the compounds, but now we realize your boys are the best boys we have. We are gradually putting them in the most responsible positions." The mine manager recently issued a bulletin to all European employees saying that all Africans who are Jehovah's witnesses working under them are to be allowed time off to go to their meetings, and that even if they are on shift work. When one compares the 10,315 witnesses in Southern Rhodesia at the present time with the 3,044 in 1947 he will appreciate how great an increase has been taking place there.
The work is growing so rapidly here that it seemed advisable to buy a house in a beautiful part of Salisbury, which may be called the queen city of Central Africa, to house the missionaries and the branch office. Arrangements were made for the European brothers to give greater personal supervision to the African congregations and more careful training to the African traveling representatives of the Society, known as circuit servants. While there is outstanding peace and unity among Jehovah's witnesses, our African brothers are very anxious to keep on improving. The prospects for theocratic expansion in Southern Rhodesia are very promising.
THE BIBLE
It is the best seller of all time. It is the book of the month every month of the year, every year of the calendar. It is perennially modern, never outdated, and whatever the price, it is priceless, for it has brought solace to the sick, comfort to the sorrowing, spiritual strength to the strong. It has given hope to the poor, humility to the proud. It has touched the hearts of king and commoner. It was written for all people of all nations of all time. It points the way to spiritual wealth that never can be taxed and to spiritual dividends that never will be passed. It is the dispenser of life to those who follow its counsel; it is the unfailing beacon to guide men into that new world of righteousness where there will be no tears, disappointment or death. It is the textbook of freedom, the guidebook of life. Let us study its teachings, follow its counsel, and live; for 'this means everlasting life, to know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent forth, Jesus Christ'.
What Has Happened to Religion?
ACCORDING to both the Christian Herald and Reader's Digest, our "most important shortage" is "too little . . . belief in Almighty God". Is this view shared by others? Yes. "Anemic religion" and the "decline of the churches" have been decried by the Episcopal Churchnews and the Manchester Guardian. An article in Woman's Day was up in arms over children's saying they never talk about Jesus in Sunday school, and "Christian" youth has been "found guilty at 'trial' of Bible ignorance", according to the Baltimore Sun.
The Milwaukee Journal reported on a most unusual request by labor union leaders for a study of the sort of religious faith needed to meet the conditions and problems of contemporary life. It said few leaders in government, business, journalism, education, the arts, farm and labor organizations between thirty and fifty years of age have more than a nominal connection with a church or synagogue.
An article in Collier's quoted an old farmer as avowing, "Only God can save the world now." God? Yes! But does that mean today's religions? No! Actually it is today's religion that is responsible for the shortage of belief in Almighty God, because it has accepted responsibility for teaching that belief. The "Rev." David Glyn Evans of the Basingstoke, England, Congregational Church said on August 19, 1951, "If lots were cast tomorrow, it is the sleeping church that would be thrown overboard"; and he pointed to the fact that during the past thirty years Congregational churches alone in England lost more than 100,000 members.
The failure of today's religion was shown by a Christian Century article February 27, 1952, which said: "There is an impression abroad that religion first and last is a comforting and comfortable affair. Twentieth century Christianity has lost the stringent note. For most of us there is no cross in it, no abstinence, no subjugation of the flesh in the interests of the spirit. People are not made to feel when they look at the church and its program that Christianity is a creed for heroes or that to embrace it means 'living dangerously'. It is overanxious to placate and
accommodate the state and the world at large. The man on the street has little reason to think that Christians are a company of people committed to the turning of the world upside down with a view to setting it right side up. But that was the general impression of Christians in the first century. It meant something then to be a Christian, and it cost something. No one from A.D.30 to A.D.313 thought of Christianity as a comfortable religion. It was a creed for heroes."
Just as in politics there is much talk of peace, so in religion there is much talk of the church's becoming militant again, but this goal succeeds no more than do the peacemakers' dreams. Rather, the churches prefer to please the men who provide the money, honor, political recognition and "respectability" which early Christians never had nor sought, having a far more valuable thing in its stead.
Further illustrating this very failure of even the church members to show sufficient concern over their religion to actually get out and work for it, The Churchman for June commented: "Though Christianity was founded by a layman it has taken us many years to realize that we have deprived the layman of the position of high dignity that he held in the early church, when all Christians were a royal priesthood." But that magazine's discussion of a few being granted licenses as lay readers is a proposal that still falls short of providing for "a company of people committed to the turning of the world upside down with a view to setting it right side up". Religious leaders would like to shift the blame to the people or to communism for the moral decay, as Cardinal Spellman did at the Eucharist Congress in Spain last year. They cannot! The people are responsible for many things, communism is responsible for many others, but the religious leaders are the ones who are responsible for today's religious deterioration. They have watered down pure worship, exalted their own prestige, fraternized with corrupt politics and government. They have taught their theories and traditions, instead of God's Word, and as a result their religions have become anemic.
PREDESTINATION OR INDIVIDUAL CHOICE Which?
EHOVAH is a God of justice and of love. But in exercising his quality of love
"God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him."—Acts 10:34, 35, NW.
he never ignores the demands of justice. Both operate in perfect balance together, neither being stifled by the other. Through sinfulness inherited from Adam all men are justly condemned to die, but by the sacrifice of Christ all men are lovingly offered opportunity to live. "The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 6:23, NW) Opportunity for receiving the loving gift of life is not limited to a select few, leaving the justifiable condemnation of death to be unalterably forced upon the remaining many. God does not single out some for life regardless of their personal conduct just to display his love, nor does he arbitrarily doom others to destruction merely to exalt his justice. To do so would be showing partiality. And Jehovah "is never partial", does not show "respect of persons". (Deut. 10:17; 2 Chron. 19:7, AT) His love and justice are wisely directed, and "the wisdom from above" is "not making partial distinctions". Emphatically, "there is no partiality with God."—Rom. 2:11; Jas. 3:17, NW.
2 But many religionists say God is partial, when they preach predestination, when they declare the individual's destiny
is divinely fixed before birth. Rather than being based on the Bible, the doctrine was
sired by paganism and nourished by tradition. Predestination is shown in a sense at Deuteronomy 4:19 (AT), when Jehovah warned his covenant people: "Beware, when you look up into the heavens and see all the host of the heavens, the sun, moon, and stars, that you do not let yourselves be allured into paying homage to them, and serving them." It was common practice for the ancient heathen religions to make gods of the heavenly bodies and worship them, and to claim that the destinies of men were guided by these gods or heavenly bodies. This is strikingly shown by Jehovah's words to the stargazing Babylonians: "You have wearied yourself with your many counselors, now let them stand up and save you—those who map out the heavens, and gaze at the stars, and tell you month by month what fortune will come to you." (Isa. 47:13, AT) They mapped out or divided off the heavens into twelve sections, one for each month, and according to the month or position of the stars at the time of birth a man's life course was determined. They believed that their star gods more or less predestinated their lives. The pagan religions of both Greeks and Romans made gods of the heavenly bodies, and the present names of the planets are from Roman mythology.
Before their captivity in Babylon the Jews frequently fell victims to such idolatries. (2 Ki. 17:16; Jer. 44:17; Ezek. 8:16) After their return to Jerusalem they avoided the more obvious idolatries, falling instead into more subtle snares. They began to build up a great mass of tradition, and religious sects arose among them. One of these was the Pharisees. They did not believe in predestination by the star gods of the heathen, but they did believe Jehovah so determined human lives. By their tradition they transferred a pagan doctrine to Jehovah, and voided his word that "time and chance happen to all of them", rather than events being predestinated. (Eccl. 9:11, AT) The outstanding Jewish historian, Josephus, tells us: "The Pharisees...ascribe all to fate [or, providence], and to God, and yet allow, that to act what is right, or the contrary, is principally in the power of men, although fate does co-operate in every action." "When they determine that all things are done by fate, they do not take away the freedom from men of acting as they think fit; since their notion is, that it hath pleased God to make a temperament, whereby what he wills is done, but so that the will of man can act virtuously or viciously." (Wars of the Jews, Book II, Chapter VIII, π 1 4 ; Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, Chapter I, π 3 ) To believe in predestination and at the same time retain the view that man is a free moral agent has always been a thorny problem to the devotees of the doctrine, ancient and modern. None logically harmonizes the two factors. Many today adopt the Pharisees' supposed solution, for want of something sensible. To say a creature possesses true free will that is deliberately created with a temperament that will go in the way God predestinated is like saying a
machine has free will, but moves only in the way it was made to move by its maker.
Following in the footsteps of the Pharisees, the prominent Roman Catholic saint, Augustine, "maintained that grace is an internal operation of God upon those whom he designs to save, imparting not only the power, but also the will to do good. The fact that some are saved and others lost he attributed to the will of God. Hence his doctrines of unconditional predestination, of particular redemption, and of special and irresistible grace. Reprobation, he granted, was based upon foreseen guilt, but apparently unconscious of the inconsistency, he denied the applicability of the same principle to election. In 529 the system of Augustine was established as Church doctrine by the Council of Arausio (Orange), but the reaction against the strictly logical yet essentially immoral nature of his dogma has been perpetually manifested." "Four hundred years more passed away before a man could be found bold enough to complete Augustine's theory by declaring that, as God has sovereignly and immutably elected whomsoever he has pleased unto life, without any foresight of faith and obedience, so he has of his own good pleasure freely and unchangeably predestinated whomsoever he has pleased unto everlasting misery, without any reference to foreknown sin and guilt on their part. This anticipator of Calvin was a Saxon monk named Gottschalk (Godeschalcus). His novel view brought down upon him not merely ecclesiastical censure, but even persecution." Church councils in 848 and 849 condemned him, and he was flogged and imprisoned in a monastery until his death some twenty years later.—M'Clintock and Strong's Cyclopædia, Volume VIII, page 499.
During this same general time period another religion was teaching fatalism and predestination, and had scriptures to support them: "No one can die except by God's permission, according to the Book that fixeth the term of life." "Some of them there were whom God guided, and there were others decreed to err...God will not guide him whom He would lead astray." "No mischance chanceth either on earth or in your persons, but ere "we" created them, it was in the Book;—for easy is this to God." "This is truly a warning: And whoso willeth, taketh the way to his Lord: but will it ye shall not, unless God will it, for God is knowing, wise. He causeth whom He will to enter into his mercy." (Sura 3:139; 16:38, 39; 57:22; 76:29-31, Rodwell) Of course, these are not inspired scriptures from God's Word, the Bible, but are from the holy book of the Mohammedans, the Koran. M'Clintock and Strong's Cyclopaedia, Volume I, page 499, links predestination and astrology and shows Mohammedanism's interest in both, saying: "By the latter [judicial astrology], it was pretended, could be predicted events which were dependent upon the human will, as particular actions, peace, war, etc. Astrology accords well with the predestinarian doctrines of Mohammedanism, and was accordingly cultivated with great ardor by the Arabs from the seventh to the thirteenth century. Some of the early Christian fathers argued against the doctrines of astrology; others received them in a modified form. In its public capacity the Roman Church several times condemned the system, but many zealous churchmen cultivated it. Cardinal D'Ailly, 'the eagle of the doctors of France' (died 1420), is said to have calculated the horoscope of Jesus Christ, and maintained
that the Deluge might have been predicted by astrology."
In the midst of the ferment of the Reformation the subject of predestination was revived, and during the 1530's and the two decades that followed John Calvin dominated the stage as the champion of unconditional predestination of not only those to be saved but also those to be lost. Again the Roman Church condemned these views, just as it had seven centuries earlier when the Saxon monk Gottschalk had argued for them. However, a century later, from the synod known as the Westminster Assembly of Divines, came forth the largely Calvinistic Confession of Faith, which was adopted in 1646 by the British Parliament, to become the creed of the English Church and the doctrinal basis of almost all the present Presbyterian churches. Through the Puritans predestination teaching was spread all over New England, and by the Reformed Dutch and other Presbyterian bodies it was carried through most of the Middle and Western states of America. Today the foremost advocates of the doctrine are Presbyterians, though many of the modern church bodies of this particular faith have modified their views and watered down the harsh doctrine.
The foregoing has shown how extensively the doctrine was and is believed, that it was or still is adhered to in varying degrees by ancient astrologers, pagan religionists, Pharisees, Mohammedans, Presbyterians and Roman Catholics. Inclusion of the last-named ones may come as a surprise to many and be denied by some; hence we quote the following from the July 1951 issue of the pamphlet Why, edited by "Father" Richard Felix, O.S.B., and published with ecclesiastical approbation by the Benedictine Fathers, Benet Lake, Wisconsin: "God predestines certain souls for Heaven.
He does not predestine any soul for Hell. The Council of Trent officially condemned the heresy of Calvin who held that by an absolute decree of God part of mankind was predestined to Hell. The predestination of the elect to Heaven is a positive act of God; the reprobation of the wicked is not." This reaffirms the predestinarian teachings of Augustine concerning those to be saved, and automatically leaves all others hopelessly lost, whether specifically predestinated to destruction or not. Recently Catholicism's predestinarian views cropped out in the public press, when it reported on the funeral held for a ten-year-old girl who had fallen from a fire escape. On that occasion a Catholic priest in a Brooklyn church reportedly said: "God wanted another angel and He took Dorothy. Dorothy had been picked by God to remain with her parents just this length of time. Then He called her to serve Him at this Christmas time."—New York Daily News, December 19, 1952.
PREDESTINATED AS A CLASS
However, the Presbyterian churches are the foremost advocates of the doctrine of predestination, and we therefore center attention upon their position. According to their own words, they teach: "Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; and all to
the praise of his glorious grace. The rest of mankind, God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice."*
9 Presbyterians claim that they can trace this doctrine to Paul. They may be able to trace it to Paul the Pharisee, but not to Paul the apostle. When a Pharisee and known as Saul of Tarsus and a violent persecutor of Christians, Paul may have believed predestination. But when he abandoned that sect he did not seek to salvage any of its traditional teachings, about which Jesus remarked to those religionists: "You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition." (Matt. 15:6, NW) Paul did not contaminate Christian teaching with the Pharisee doctrine of predestination of individuals. Nevertheless, predestinationists today will try to support their claim that Paul did teach predestination by quoting his words at Romans 8:29, 30: "Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
10 From this can it be correctly argued that certain individuals were predestinated to be called and justified and glorified as spirit creatures to reign with Christ in heaven for a thousand years? Notice in this text that the ones called and justified are first predestinated, and since the divine predestinating could not fail, no individuals once called and justified could fail to be eventually glorified with Christ.
That is the view that must be taken if this text is applied to individuals. However, other scriptures, to be considered later, show persons once called and justified or declared righteous can fall away and be destroyed. So what is unfailingly predestinated at Romans 8:29,30 must be a class, and not the individuals making up the class. Jehovah has predestinated or foreordained the requirements this class must meet, its standards of conduct, its work while on earth, its service with Christ in heaven, its place in the divine arrangement of things, and even the number of individuals that will comprise it.—Rev. 14:1-4.
11 Some may say that if a class were meant the pronoun "it" and not the personal pronoun "them" would have been used in the text. Not necessarily so. We often use personal pronouns to refer to a class, rather than to the individuals making up the group. For instance, two schools meet in an athletic contest, and a girl from the winning school says: "We defeated them." The "we" refers to the winning school as a group, and not to all the students individually, for as individuals they did not defeat the other school. Certainly the girl did not. She did not even play. Only those on the team defeated them. And the "them" does not refer to all the students of the losing school either, for not all of them individually played and suffered defeat on the athletic field. "Them" refers to the losing school as a group, not as individuals. Similarly, the "them" at Romans 8:30 refers to a class, not individuals. Only thus can the text be harmonized with other scriptures.
12 If Jehovah God predestinated individuals to salvation in advance, would he call or invite to such salvation those not predestinated for it, those who could not possibly attain it? Would not such an invitation be hypocritical in the extreme, a heartless mocking and cruel taunting of those whom he has foreordained to fail? It would be sadistic torture of weak and helpless creatures at the hands of an all-powerful Creator. It would deny the divine attributes of both justice and love. Jehovah God is not guilty of such unloving, unjust, hypocritical misconduct. By pouring out his holy spirit or active force upon persons he calls or invites them to membership in the heavenly class, and that without predestinating in advance their success or failure in attaining it. Some of the individuals called become unfaithful and drop out. More are called to take their place. Enough are called so that eventually the predestinated number are finally chosen, regardless of the many who fell away after being called. It was because of this circumstance that Jesus said: "Many are called, but few are chosen." If predestination were true, the number called would be the same as the number finally chosen. Matt. 22:14.
13 Believers in this doctrine call attention to Ephesians 1:4, 5: "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself." But again the reference is to a class, and the use of the personal pronouns "we" and "us" does not affect this fact, as previously pointed out. However, this text does say that this class was predestinated or foreordained "before the foundation of the world". Would that not indicate that Jehovah knew before he created Adam and Eve that they would fall into sin, and bring forth imperfect, sinful offspring, thereby making necessary Christ the Redeemer and the foreordained Kingdom class to reign with him for a thousand years to restore fallen mankind to perfection?
Presbyterians answer yes, saying: "The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men, and that not by a bare permission, but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding, and otherwise ordering and governing of them, in a manifold dispensation, to his own holy ends."* Also, "God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass." \dagger Yet they contend that, though God unchangeably ordains and orders and governs everything that comes to pass, the human creature has complete liberty and freedom of will, and God may not be blamed for what he irresistibly ordains. Very confusing.
14 Actually, there is not the slightest evidence that Jehovah foreordained the fall of Adam and Eve. Then why would he foreordain "before the foundation of the world" the provision of Christ and the Kingdom class to lift obedient mankind from the effects of Adam's fall? Because the world that began with the creation of Adam and Eve is not the same as the one before whose foundation this class was predestinated. Peter speaks of three worlds: the "world that then was", that arose when Adam sinned and was later destroyed by the Noachian flood, the present wicked one that started after the flood and will
end in Armageddon's fiery destruction, and the promised new world wherein righteousness is to dwell. The new world's foundation was laid at the time of the death of Jesus, for it is his sacrificial death that furnishes the basis for human creatures to be rescued from sin and death, enabling some to reign with him as part of the new heavens and others to live forever on this globe as an obedient new earth. Hence Jesus is referred to as "the Lamb who was slaughtered from the world's foundation".—Heb. 9:25, 26; 2 Pet. 3:5-7, 13; Rev. 13:8, NW.
15 Was Jesus slaughtered, impaled on the torture stake, before Adam's creation? Certainly not, but more than four thousand years later, A.D. 33! But before the foundation of this righteous new world was laid by the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ with the merit of his shed blood to present before Jehovah, Christ and the Kingdom class had been predestinated. Yet this foreordination was after Adam and Eve's sinning. It was after their fall that Christ was promised as the Seed that would bring deliverance, and to whom would be joined faithful human creatures to become the new heavens of the new world. (Gen. 3:15; 22:17, 18; Isa. 65:17; Gal. 3:16, 29) So when it is understood that it is the new world before whose foundation (A.D. 33) the Kingdom class was foreordained, the basis for arguing that God predestinated Adam's fall and his offspring's plight vanishes. If Jehovah had previously ordained Adam's fall, the test of obedience in Eden would have been no fair test at all, but a sham, a fake, a farce! Jehovah would stage no such fiasco, with man's eternal life hanging in the unjust balance!—Lev. 19:36; Deut. 25:13-16; Prov. 20:10.
NAMES IN THE BOOK OF LIFE
Still another line of argument is pursued by predestinationists. Certain scriptures speak of names in a book of life, and it is argued that the names of these individuals were so recorded before the world began, and this indicates they were predestinated to salvation. As has been shown, however, they cannot correctly use Revelation 13:8 or 17:8 to argue that before the original world began with Adam's creation some names were written in and others left out of the book of life. As for other texts used, such as Luke 10:20 and Philippians 4:3 and Revelation 21:27, by no clever twisting of matters can they be made to say the names were recorded before the individuals' birth. Actually, for the predestinationists to hurl the book-of-life argument into the controversy is for them to throw a boomerang. How so? Because if one's being in the book of life means he is predestinated to salvation, then it can be shown that such predestination fails, and if it fails the doctrine's very foundation crumbles. To those who prove faithful Jesus promises: "I will by no means blot out his name from the book of life." (Rev. 3:5, NW) Which indicates names could be blotted out. If such a blotting out were impossible, Jesus' promise would be meaningless. That it is possible Psalm 69:28 (AT) shows: "May they be blotted out from the book of life." That it is Jehovah's purpose to blot out those becoming unfaithful was shown when Israel worshiped the golden calf at Sinai. After asking God to forgive Israel Moses said: "But if not, pray blot me out of thy book." Jehovah's reply was: "Whoever sins against me, him only I blot out of my book."—Ex. 32:32, 33, AT.
17 To say these names are literal ones recorded before the individuals were born
is to say Jehovah named all these babies, and not the parents. Some names copy those of demon gods. Did Jehovah give such hated names to predestinated servants of his? We must abandon the narrow view and see that names involve far more than mere literal designations of persons. In the Bible names are meaningful, denoting a person's circumstances or activities or qualities, and frequently being changed during his lifetime to take on more meaning, to be more descriptive of him as he or his circumstances changed. In this broad sense names stand for certain qualities or principles or actions, and on the basis of such things the names may be good or bad, feared or revered, famous or infamous. It is such names that persons make for themselves during life that determine whether they are found recorded in God's book of life or not, rather than narrowly viewed literal designations given to them at birth.
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